Itron, SmartSynch Partnership Affords Utilities Deploying
Smart Grids with Complete Network Coverage
IP-enabled communications, as part of OpenWay® smart grid platform, allow utilities to
leverage networks like GPRS
TAMPA, Fla. — March 23, 2010 — DistribuTECH 2010 — Itron Inc. (NASDAQ: ITRI) and SmartSynch
announced today the commercial availability of IP-enabled public wireless communications as part of
the OpenWay smart grid platform from Itron. This will allow utilities to leverage networks like general
packet radio service (GPRS) for transmission of all critical metering and event data from their meters’
wide area network (WAN). This guarantees a complete network by complementing coverage in areas
where a dedicated local area network has not yet been fully deployed or installed.
Collaboration between the two companies allows them to fully integrate—under the glass of OpenWay
CENTRON® smart meters—SmartSynch’s public wireless communications module. The integrated public
wireless connectivity allows the meter to communicate directly with the OpenWay Collection Engine.
DTE Energy (NYSE:DTE), a Detroit-based diversified energy company deploying OpenWay smart grid
technology to automate a total of 2.6 million electric meters and 700,000 natural gas meters, is
integrating this complementary functionality into a pre-production setting and sees tremendous value in
the offering.
Said Bob Sitkauskas, manager of DTE Energy’s advanced metering infrastructure project, “Our effort is a
large undertaking and it requires the system to operate across many diverse operating situations. Itron
and SmartSynch, through this collaboration, are expected to provide us with 100% network coverage to
ensure the success of our total deployment.”
“SmartSynch is providing Itron with technology that helps us offer an even stronger value proposition to
utilities deploying smart grid. A single integrated operating platform that seamlessly supports various
communications environments is fundamental to the architecture of OpenWay,” said Russ Vanos, Itron
vice president of marketing. “Imagine being able to connect all of a utility’s meters and devices through
various communications, and yet have them appear unified to its back-office operations. Through our
partnering, by using open standards-based, IP-enabled connectivity, Itron and SmartSynch have
accomplished this.”
“This is about smart grid innovators working together to create solutions to best serve a rapidly evolving
marketplace,” said SmartSynch chief executive officer Stephen Johnston. “These types of collaborative
efforts will go a long way toward making a fully automated electricity grid a reality.”
Customers utilizing the OpenWay smart grid platform with integrated SmartSynch technology are also
afforded a ZigBee® wireless component for advanced in-premise automation. Like all other OpenWay
network components, the SmartSynch module will support the American National Standards Institute
(ANSI) C12.22 standard for communication of metering-based data over a network.
Based on open standards, the OpenWay system architecture offers utilities flexibility in selecting the
communications technology best suited to their needs. Whether utilities elect public wireless
communication or an alternative, the OpenWay smart grid platform supports two-way communications
for home-area networking, interval and on-demand reads, outage notification, tamper and theft
detection, remote firmware upgrades, and a host of additional advanced metering capabilities.
About Itron:
Itron Inc. is a leading technology provider to the global energy and water industries. Our company is the
world’s leading provider of intelligent metering, data collection and utility software solutions, with
nearly 8,000 utilities worldwide relying on our technology to optimize the delivery and use of energy
and water. Our products include electricity, gas, water and heat meters, data collection and
communication systems, including automated meter reading (AMR) and advanced metering
infrastructure (AMI); meter data management and related software applications; as well as project
management, installation, and consulting services. To know more, start here: www.itron.com.
About SmartSynch
SmartSynch has been the only provider of standard, IP communicating end-to-end smart grid solutions
utilizing public wireless networks for the utility industry since 2000. Our clean-tech innovations in the
two-way delivery of real-time energy usage data over public wireless networks have to-date simplified
deployments for more than 100 major North American utilities, while enabling their clean-energy
initiatives and delivering greater Returns on Resources. SmartSynch’s IP-based solutions are capable of
delivering grid intelligence to and from any device. Our products and services include SmartMeters™
and SmartBoxes™ that immediately IP-enable the grid, software solutions, and network management
services for utilities and their customers, as well as clean-tech companies in need of remote
communications and control functionality for products ranging from solar panels to plug-in hybrid
vehicles.